Broom-corn harvester



, July 6,1926. V1,591,675@

BRooM CORN HARVESTER med Jan.- s1, y1924 5 sheetssne'etl' 1,591,675 F.A. FULLERTON BROOM QORN HARVESTER Jlyv ,t 1926.

Fired Jan. 51, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 2 wuma rez Filed Jan.' 3l, 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 4 July 6 1926.

' 1,591,675 F. A. FULLERTON l BROOM COIRN-HARVESTER Filed Jan; 31, 1924s'sheets-sheet s l A Mraz/Wim,

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ceiving endless conveyor comprising the belt 10. The endless chain 141is toothed to malre positive engagement with the tops of the broom cornto positively move the same across the cutting, moving and threshingdevices. rIhe endless chain is devoid of teeth and advances the buttends of the broom corn resting thereon. rIlhe adjacent ends of theendless elements 10, 14; and 15 are supported by a shaft 17 which iscommon thereto and which shaft is positively driven from a shaft 1,3 bythe endless chains 111 and 15. The endless belts 16 comprising` thedelivery conveyor are likewise driven from the shaft 13. A shaft 19supported by braces 20 forms supporting means for the outer lower endsof the be. ts 16.

A transversely disposed counter-shaft 21 vis located at the front of themachine and is driven from a suitable motor 22 by means of a drive belt23. Bevel gearing 24E connects the shafts 18 and 2l.

A cutting mechanism 25 is located at the front of the platform 8 andmovement is transmitted thereto by means of a pitman 26 from a shaft 27which is connected to the counter-shaft 21 by means of bevel gearing 28.A reel 29 is located above the front end of the alatform 8 and operatesto throw the tops o the broom corn as cut onto the endless conveyor 1()which moves the same transversely to the endless chains 14 and 15. Asprocket chain 30 connects the shaft of the reel 29 with a shaft 31which in turn is geared to a vertical shaft 32 by means of bevel gearing33, said shaft 32 in turn being geared to the .shaft 21 by means ofbevel gearing 33.

A rotary cutter 311, attached to the rear end of a shaft 35 which isdriven from the shaft 21 by means of bevel gearing 36, operates in ameasure to even the stems of the broom corn as they pass transverselyacross the machine to the receiver 17. A rotary gang cutter 37 isdisposed about in line with the rotary cutter 3A and operates to removethe boots from the stems of the broom corn. A drive belt 33 connects theshaft of the booter 37 with the counter-shaft 21.

A pair of threshing cylinders 39 is disposed rearwardly of the endlesschains 14 and 15 and intermediate the conveyors l0 and 16 and operatesto remove the seed from the tops of the broom corn as the latter passestransversely across the nachine. These threshing cylinders or rolls 39are secured to shaft 39 and arranged at an in clinat-ion to the endlesschains 14 and 15. Shafts 39'h1 are geared at one end for posi tiverotation by means of pinion 39h, as shown most clearly in Figure 8, andthe shaft`39f1L of one of the cylinders or rolls is geared to a shaft10, as indicated at 41, and said shaft in turn is geared to thecountershaft 21 as indicated at 42, the gearing in with universal joints40a so as to allow for the difference in the position of the parts.

The reel 29 is mounted for adjustment forwardly and rearwardly by meansof a supporting arm 441 pivotally carried on shaft 31, l5 indicating abracket supported on the frame of the machine and providing a bear ingfor said shaft 31. Supporting arm is moved by means of a lever lil bymeans of a rod 46 pivotally connected to said arm and to the lever andis held in the re quired adjusted position by means of a segment 12a andhand latch on the lever 41a. A presser bar 12b is disposed above theendless chains 14 and l5 and operates to hold the broom corn in contacttherewith. Spring arms L13 support the presser bar 4t2 and are connectedto a convenient part of the machine, such as the uprights formingsupporting means for the threshing cylinders or rolls 39.

I/Vhat is claimed is:

l. In a broom corn harvester, a harvester cutting mechanism, a countershaft, means to drive the counter shaft, spaced shafts eX- tending at anangle to and driven from the counter shaft, a threshing mechanism drivenby one of said spaced shafts, conveyor chains for harvested broom corntrained over and driven by said spaced shafts, spaced feeding beltsarranged alternately with said chains, a driving shaft for said beltsover which said chains pass, and discharge belts ar ranged alternatelywith respect to the chains and driven by one of the spaced shafts, astem-evening cutter, a gang cutter, means driving said cutters from thecounter shaft, and said cutters being arranged on the opposite side ofthe chains to the threshing mechanism and substantially in line with oneof the first mentioned belts.

2. In a broom corn harvester, an elevated platform at one side of themachine, a cut` ting mechanism at the front of said platform, an endlessconveyor operating over the platform and the adjacent portion of themain frame and comprising a plurality of conveyor elements, a deliveryconveyor at the opposite side of the machine for dis` charging theharvest into the receiver and comprising a plurality of spaced conveyorelements, endless chains intermediate the receiving and deliveringconveyors and arranged laterally alternateiy with respect thereto, athreshing mechanism upon one side of the endless cnains, and a cuttingand booting mechanism upon the opposite side of the endless chains.

3. In a broom corn harvester, an elevated platform at one side of themachine, a cutting mechanism at the front of the platform, a reeldisposed above the forward portion of the platform, means for adjustingthe reel forwardly and rearwardly, an endless conveyor operating` overthe platform and an adjacent portion of the main frame conn prisingl aplurality of spaced belts, a delivery conveyor at the opposite side ofthe machine and incliningl laterally and downwardly and comprising aplurality of spaced belts, endless chains intern'iediate the receiv ingand delivering conveyors and arranged 10 laterally alternately withrespect to said belts, a yieldably supported presser bar disposedopposite the endless chains, a threshing ineclianim at one side of tlieendless chains and intermediate the receiving and delivery conveyors,and a cutting and looot` ing mechanism disposed upon tlie opposite sideof the endless chains.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

FRANK A. FULLERTON.

